Abstract
Autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases of the central nervous system are relatively rare, but potentially severe and disabling complications of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Despite the lack of exact prevalence of this group among other complications of COVID-19, its study lately receives increasing attention. Big variety of mechanisms could be involved into pathogenesis of autoimmune and immune-mediated disorders of the central nervous system, including the aberrant immune response to direct viral invasion, neuroinflammation and activation of T- and B-lymphocytes, formation of autoantibodies as a result of cross-reactivity or due to molecular mimicry, etc. This review discusses recent data on the pathogenetic mechanisms as well as clinical features of the most common complications of COVID-19: myelitis, MOG-associated diseases, spectrum of neuromyelitis optica disorders. Multiple potential biomarkers detected in post-COVID-19 patients and their diagnostic and clinical value are discussed. Given the increased number of patients having COVID-19, the study of such diseases, their connection with infection, and possible mechanisms seems to be an extremely relevant area of modern neuroimmunology.